FSU football head coach Mike Norvell has made a lot of great hires on paper. Coach Telly Lockette not being retained was a move that has fans in their feelings.
FSU football head coach Mike Norvell had a tough decision to make regarding FSU tight ends coach Telly Lockette.
Does he find him a place on staff like coaching running backs, off the field analyst or let him go. It appears the latter has happened as Coach Lockette posted on Twitter earlier today.
Norvell had said he was instrumental on the recruiting trail as he was trying to nail down the 2020 class during the early signing period.
Telly Lockette is one of the main reasons FSU’s best offensive linemen Dontae Lucas is in Tallahassee.
I thought Lockette could be retained due to his recruiting ties in South Florida and he’s had experience coaching running backs in the past. However, it looks as though Norvell has an idea of who the running backs coach will be and it will not be Lockette.
I would like to thank FSU for a great experience these past two seasons!Thanks to all the coaches and players my family is so thankful for you guys letting us be a part of the FSU family. Also to Nole Nation Thanks for the support.God Speed https://t.co/vVP28Gfj2w pic.twitter.com/aXSDAJ7j3Y
— Telly Lockette (@TellyLockette) January 2, 2020
Fan Reaction
Thanks for the hard work coach. Good luck in the future!!!
— Colquitt Nole (@Wes7fsu) January 2, 2020
Thanks for making an impact in year 1 coach. Best of luck to you!
— jackie (@YaAlreadyNole) January 2, 2020
Hate to lose you coach, best of luck to you and thanks for your hard work these past two seasons
— Jason (@blazerdad76) January 2, 2020
Was hoping you would have been one of the few to stay. Best to you!
— Gene Mills (@WaimeaNole) January 2, 2020
Know you gon get right back right 💪🏾 wish they kept you 😡t
— RELL SOSA 🍢 (@TerrellT_) January 2, 2020
Best of luck coach! FSU is better for having you develop the young men.
— Joe Krsul (@JTKAtlanta) January 2, 2020
RESPECT for you sir!!! I was holding on to hope that you would be retained, Thank you for you time & commitment while here, someone is about to get a hell of an asset added to their program. God Bless you and your future endeavors!!
— Scott Harris (@Scottharris34) January 2, 2020
Thoughts
As you can see, Lockette had a lot of support which is surprising considering he was mostly low-key and wasn’t all over social media.
I must say I was hoping Mike Norvell would retain Coach Lockette but he’s shown the ability to put quality staff’s together so I can’t say he made a mistake here.
Lockette would be valuable recruiting south Florida as he has a lot of connections to helping those inner city kids get around to campus visits, etc.
One hopes he doesn’t get picked up by Miami or Florida and I can understand him not wanting to go to an off-field role as that would be looked upon as a demotion of sorts. It’s quite possible he could follow former FSU head coach Willie Taggart to FAU.
Either way, it was a tough decision and we’ll have to see how it all unfolds moving forward. Here’s to wishing Coach Lockette the best of luck and appreciation for his time in Tallahassee.